CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37: DEPARTURE (PART 1)

Night.

The cold wind roars.

The weather is getting colder and colder.

Time flies by, and several days have passed.

In the courtyard, Lin Zheyu and Han Mo are bare-chested, with steam rising from their bodies.

They have just finished a real combat practice, their entire bodies boiling with heat.

"In such cold weather, tomorrow morning there will be dozens more bodies outside the city."

Han Mo sighed and said, feeling extremely uncomfortable every time he had to deal with corpses.

"The city has also become somewhat restless recently, if this continues, chaos will break out here even before the rebel troops arrive."

"Prices keep rising, it feels like ordinary people can hardly make ends meet anymore." Lin Zheyu said.

It is said that many people who can’t survive have started taking up weapons and become bandits in the mountains.

Many hunters don’t dare to hunt in the mountains casually; it’s more likely for bandits to hunt them.

"Winter has arrived, the rebel troops should quiet down for a while, recuperate and wait until next spring to launch an attack." Han Mo said.

Liang Song watched the two chatting, smiled slightly, and gazed at the moon in a daze.

He is naturally a taciturn person, able to sit alone and daydream all day.

...

The two rested for a while and then returned to the courtyard.

Han Mo held a blunt knife, his expression serious.

Lin Zheyu moved quickly in the moonlight, shifting shadows as he prepared to launch an attack.

He did not display his full strength in the Refining Internal Organ Realm, choosing instead to hide his power and spar with his senior brother Han Mo to hone his combat skills.

Facing an opponent with a weapon, Lin Zheyu has figured out how to handle them.

His movements are extremely agile, moving swiftly, and then launching out like lightning with a whip leg aimed at Han Mo’s back.

The vigorous wind howls, power and momentum are formidable.

Han Mo quickly turned around, chopping with the knife in his right hand, and Lin Zheyu dared not confront the sharp edge, retracting his attack swiftly and shifting to another side to launch a new attack.

The Golden Swan Skill primarily trains the legs, and once mastered, one’s form becomes nimble, moving like the wind.

Han Mo’s saber skills are very impressive, simple and fast, force thick and solid, the saber changing with the body, defending seamlessly.

No matter how Lin Zheyu initiated attacks, he was forced back by Han Mo’s fierce saber movements.

But Han Mo also couldn’t do anything to him.

Although Han Mo’s strength reached the peak of Refining Internal Organs, his leg skills lagged far behind Lin Zheyu, with insufficient speed and agility.

The two engaged in offense and defense, exchanging over a dozen rounds in a short time.

The blade of the blunt knife dangerously brushed past Lin Zheyu, yet he could always skillfully evade.

After more than an hour, Han Mo stopped, panting heavily.

"No more, I’m done."

Han Mo waved his hand.

Facing a speed-type martial artist like Lin Zheyu, he fought feeling extremely stifled.

"Let’s call it a day, if I return too late, my sister-in-law will start nagging again."

Han Mo chuckled and said, "You should think about getting a wife. Living alone is quite dull."

"How could it be dull?"

"Are the girls at Baihua Tower not enticing, or is the martial arts not worth practicing?"

"The world is so colorful, why tie oneself down with a wife and kids?" Lin Zheyu laughed cheekily.

"You youngster, when you’re older, you’ll understand the feeling of having a light on waiting for you no matter how late you come home at night." Han Mo laughed and said.

"A feeling?"

Lin Zheyu muttered, recalling those men in his past life who hid in underground garages, reluctant to head upstairs.

Hmm, maybe not.

What’s good about marriage...?

...

"Master, are there any areas in the fight that need improvement?"

Lin Zheyu approached Liang Song and asked.

"None, you’ve done very well."

"In less than a month, you’ve managed to cultivate the Golden Swan Skill to this level, much better than me." Liang Song said with a smile.

Receiving a disciple as talented as Lin Zheyu before leaving Songyi City made him very satisfied.

Liang Song looked around the courtyard’s flowers and plants and said, "Zheyu, ah~"

"Yes, Master, is there anything?"

Lin Zheyu responded, feeling Mr. Liang’s tone seemed somewhat off.

"Han Mo has his own home in Songyi City; you rented that courtyard, right?"

"From now on, that courtyard is yours. Remember to take care of these flowers and plants." Liang Song looked at the flowers in the courtyard, his eyes displaying an inexplicable emotion.

"Master, are you leaving?"

Lin Zheyu was surprised and felt extremely reluctant.

Liang Song treated him very well, holding nothing back, teaching him all he knew.

Lin Zheyu felt Liang Song was like family to him.

"Master, are you leaving so soon?" Han Mo said with equal reluctance, "Won’t you stay a little longer?"

"It’s time to leave."

"You’ve learned the Golden Swan Skill, a master leads you to the door, cultivation is in one’s own hand, you’ll have to practice diligently on your own in the future."

"And you, the Six Harmonies Blade may be a third-rate technique, but at its peak, it can breakthrough to the Qi Blood Realm."

"Once you reach the Qi Blood Realm, if you can’t progress further, start practicing the Golden Swan Skill. Ask Lin Zheyu if you don’t understand anything."

Liang Song sipped his tea and continued, "I’ve been in Songyi City for over a decade, it’s time to return, I wonder if those old friends are still around."

"Why don’t I leave with you?"

"Songyi City doesn’t hold much for me, it’s the same anywhere." Lin Zheyu suggested.

"Forget it."

"You’d better stay in the city, earn by storytelling and practice martial arts wholeheartedly."

"Remember, unless you’ve reached the Qi Blood Realm, don’t wander to mountains, forests, or other desolate places." Liang Song advised.

"Uh?"

Lin Zheyu asked in confusion, "Is it because of rampant banditry?"

Liang Song shook his head, "The world is not as peaceful on the surface."

"In every chaotic era, there are demons."

"Previously, demons were hidden, unseen. It was the Great Wei Dynasty’s fortune suppressing them, preventing them from causing mischief."

"Now, with rebel troops rising, people living in misery, the fortune is depleting, unable to suppress anymore."

"It’s relatively safe in the city, but outside it becomes extremely dangerous." Liang Song slowly explained, his expression very serious.

"Master, what do the demons look like?" Lin Zheyu couldn’t help asking.

Various tales of demons are widespread among the people, but most are exaggerated with little truth.

"I’ve seen demons a few times."

"Like your stories, some are transformed from humans, some from mountain spirits and wild monsters, all exceptionally odd."

"Demons are very strong, their life force vigorous, hard to kill."

"Ordinary martial artists encountering them almost always meet death. Only upon reaching the Qi Blood Realm can one battle a demon."

Liang Song slowly said, "If you encounter something strange in the future, distance yourself immediately, don’t join the commotion."

"Alright, Master."

Lin Zheyu nodded, curiously asking, "Master, can humans also become demons?"

"Correct."

"Throughout history, many emperors and powerful individuals sought immortality, aiming for immortal cultivation."

"Some people during cultivation become demons, neither human nor ghost." Liang Song explained.

"Master, do immortals really exist in this world?"

"Perhaps yes, perhaps no."

"I’m just an ordinary person, my strength only in the Qi Blood Realm, far from that level, unable to access such hidden knowledge."

Liang Song shook his head, appearing indifferent.

"Oh..."

Lin Zheyu did not pursue further questioning, sat beside the stone table, and joined Mr. Liang for tea.

...